THE PLANNING process

Amidst this positive change and momentum, MAP has the benefit of an extraordinary body of committed stakeholders collaborating with the planning team about what to do now and what to do next. Public input has been integral to MAP’s planning process, beginning with the Steering Committee of 25 volunteers who met eight times over the course of the year to oversee MAP’s development. In turn, Steering Committee members and the MAP planning team invited residents and employees in the Urban Core to help shape the plan as well at several events throughout summer and fall 2014 and into spring 2015. In addition to these events, MAP’s public outreach has also employed social, digital, and print media to connect with the Urban Core community.

Online Presence & Collaborative Map

MAP launched its website (maconactionplan.com) in July 2014, offering an introduction to the plan and the planning process and inviting the public to get involved. The website featured a collaborative map in which participants could place a marker at a specific location, select a theme (Business, Housing, Parks/River, Parking, Public Safety, Public Space, Streets/Parking, Walking/Biking, or Other), and offer a related idea or comment. All input was visible for other visitors to see. The website subsequently served as a platform for updates on progress, including a video from the first public Open House event and a slideshow from the MAP Party. In total, the website received over 1,200 unique visitors at the time this document was published.